New Coffee Bar and Restaurant Opens its Doors to Pacifica

A hip, modern coffee bar and restaurant has entered the Pacifica scene, bringing an imaginative menu and fresh, healthy ingredients to the Linda Mar section of town.

The Beach Monkey Café opened yesterday in the Adobe Plaza Shopping Center on Linda Mar Boulevard at Adobe Drive, offering modern California food and fair trade, organic coffee in a well-designed, casual environment.

The owners are Linda Mar residents. Chef Michael Pakes lives around the corner with his wife and co-owner, Therese Sollars, and their two young sons. Pakes says he recognized a demand for small-batch coffee, quality ingredients, and simple, creatively spiced dishes in an inviting environment. Converging trends quickly moved The Beach Monkey from the concept stage to reality.

The team has staged a soft opening, beginning with coffee, pastries, bagels, and breakfast sandwiches seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will launch their lunch and dinner service on Feb. 13, once the coffee business is firmly on track. At that time they will extend their hours for dinner, opening Thursday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. A grand opening celebration is planned for late February.

“People in Pacifica are concerned about their health and dedicated to preserving the environment. They want a place that uses fresh, organic ingredients chiefly sourced from local farmers — at prices they can afford for the whole family,” said Pakes.

The 28-seat, 700 square-foot Beach Monkey Café offers casual customers hand-crafted, pour-over coffee and espresso drinks and quick breakfast options in the morning. At lunch or dinner, they can choose from entrees that include “hot brick sandwiches” and baked pasta, dinner salads and homemade soups, appetizers, desserts, and a selection of beer and wine. Their “good-for-your-kids” menu has wholesome, affordable meals that will delight children and adults alike.

“We offer coffee that is hand-made. It’s roasted in 25 to 30-pound batches in Port Townsend, WA, and we make it one cup at a time. With six roasts to choose from, you get coffee on your terms. First thing in the morning or after getting in the water, it’s going to make you happy,” said Pakes.

Menu offerings include, for example, a Cuban pork sandwich, a chicken bahn mi, and creative vegetarian combinations like the Sweeney Ridge, which features roasted portobello mushroom. Baked pasta options include the Beach Monkey’s trademark macaroni and cheese. The beer and wine selection reflect local tastes, with beer on tap and by the bottle.

The café offers an intimate dining experience with tables indoors and out, a cozy bar area, and takeout service. It features local photography shot by David Handler and produced by Photoworks in San Francisco.

“We wanted to create an authentically local restaurant that we would enjoy when we are on a date, but also a place we could afford to bring our kids when we don’t feel like cooking,” said co-owner Sollars. “The Beach Monkey offers Pacifica that hard-to-find option. And the food is healthy, not processed. There’s a lot of love in this place.”

The Beach Monkey is open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and for dinner Thursday through Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. 

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